


What I Need Most

by queen_scribbles



Series: Astrid Hawke Canon [4]
Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-11-23 09:52:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11400135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_scribbles/pseuds/queen_scribbles
Summary: Leadership is a heavy burden, one Astrid is happy she doesn't have to carry alone.





	What I Need Most

It had been a very long day, full of seemingly endless petition and requests for resources to rebuild, to clear rubble, bring healers to another section of Kirkwall. As she reached the end of it, Astrid's head and heart ached in equal measure and she tried to ignore a wave of bone-deep exhaustion on her way to her office. She needed a drink. A good, stiff one. And she needed it with a desperation she hadn't felt since her mother died. She forced a smile for Bran, letting it fall as soon as the door closed behind her. _I wonder if 'Bela left her stash of Good Stuff in the bottom drawer..._  
  
As it turned out, there was no need for that. The sight that greeted her when she opened the inner door to her office dissolved most of her stress, with the promise of the rest following shortly.

  
Sebastian met her instantaneous smile with one of his own, pushing away from the edge of the desk to greet her with a hug. "Long day, lass?"  
  
"Maker, you have no idea..." she murmured, melting into the hug. "Or maybe you do..." She smiled as she licked her thumb and wiped at a smudge of dirt along his jaw.  
  
He chuckled, raising his chain so she could get at the stubborn streak. "I suppose there are different kind of long, aye?"  
  
"I'll drink to that," Astrid hinted, nodding at the bottle of wine and two glasses that he must've brought with him.  
  
Sebastian laughed outright and kissed the top of her head before breaking the hug to step back to the desk. "It _must've_ been long tae to have you hankerin' so after a drink."  
  
"You look like you need it, too, Sebastian," she commented, surveying the coating of dirt clinging to his shirt and pants--and skin--as well as the scuffs that marred his boots and the half-unlaced leather jerkin he wore. "How in Andraste's name did you get past Bran in this state?"  
  
Sebastian shrugged and flashed a devilish grin as he poured the wine. "I waited until he was preoccupied with expellin' some miscreant and just... walked in."  
  
" _Walked_?" she parroted, raising an eyebrow as she accepted one of the wine glasses.  
  
"Snuck," he conceded, still grinning. "I wanted tae surprise you. And you never can trust that man tae keep his mouth shut."  
  
"True," Astrid giggled. She waited until he'd set down the wine bottle and tugged at his sleeve so he'd join her sitting on the cushioned bench along the wall. The blissful sigh that escaped her was impossible to stop but she still tried.  
  
Sebastian chuckled, subtly shifting their position until she was more using _him_ as a back rest than the bench. "So, tell me about your day, love."  
  
She made a face. "I'd almost rather not... Lots of people asking for money or resources, and I couldn't always say yes. I'd rather hear about your day."  
  
He smiled grimly. "Which part? The never-ending diggin' and tradin' banter with Fenris, or the people we found--no' all of 'em still breathin'?"  
  
Astrid winced. "Maybe we need a different topic of conversation..." She tilted her glass, watching the wine slosh. "Both of us seem to have had a less than stellar go of things today."  
  
"Alright, then. What do you want tae talk about?"  
  
She ran through a list of topics in her head before conceding, "I don't know. Anything in particular _you_ want to talk about? Or should we just sit here in silence?"  
  
"Better no'," Sebastian chuckled wryly, leaning his head back against the wall. "Much as I  enjoy your company, and that may be just what we need, if we stop talkin' for too long, I may well fall asleep on your bench." He was quiet for a moment, chest rising and falling with slow, deep breaths before he commented, "Some of the... surviving Chantry sisters are planning a service. Both in memory of all... all we've lost--" Astrid squeezed his hand as his voice faltered and he smiled in appreciation-- "and to show Thedas that Kirkwall will persevere."  His smile widened briefly as he nudged her knee with his own. "Your city's as stubborn as you are, love."  
  
"I would expect nothing less," Astrid said, voice full of joking self-importance. "Everything this place has been through, it's amazing how it just keeps going..." She turned to look at him and he slanted his gaze to meet hers. "I love this city. With all its faults and bumps and bruises. In large part due to the people." She shot him a sly--if tired--grin. "Some more than others."  
  
"Even considerin' those 'some' won't be stayin' in Kirkwall forever?" Sebastian reminded her, leaning forward to set his empty wine glass on the corner of her desk.  
  
"Even so," Astrid nodded, blinking owlishly as the wine and exhaustion began to do a number on her. She clasped his hand in hers and ran her thumb across his palm. "I- Sebastian Vael, what happened here?!" She sat fully upright, gaze fixed on the trio of scratches that ran diagonally across his palm, angry and red.  
  
"The one house we dug out today," he explained, trying not to smile too widely at her concern. "The mother was convinced her daughter was still inside. So we went further in than, ah, was strictly prudent. We did find her daughter, though--curled in a terrified ball in a room where th' ceilin' was abou' tae cave in. Gettin' her out was a mite tricky."  
  
"But you got her out?" Astrid pressed, cupping her hand over his to heal the cuts.  
  
"Out an' reunited with her mum," Sebastian confirmed.  
  
"Good There's been enough loss and death in this city." _**Damn** Anders..._ "I'm glad you were able to help one family get a happy ending."  
  
"It did help," he nodded. "So often what we found brought people closure more than joy."  
  
Astrid squeezed his hand. "Then don't dwell on it. We can talk about something else. Or even sit here in silence. I won't mind if you fall asleep; you look like you need it. And I might very well join you."  
  
"If you're that tired, love, I can leave," Sebastian offered.  
  
"No, no. This is just what I need right now," she assured him, snuggling in closer.  
  
He smiled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "I'm rather partial to it as well. But aren't you gettin' dirt all over your viscount's robes?"  
  
"Don't care..." Contrary to the statement, however, she did sit up and remove the heavy grey robe, dropping it unceremoniously on the floor and rolling up her shirt sleeves before leaning back against his chest. "If you really want to talk about something other than our mutually dismal day, we could always discuss the wedding."  
  
Sebastian chuckled softly against her hair. "Astrid, love, that's at least a year away. Prob'ly more. I want tae reclaim Starkhaven first, give you the prince you deserve. An' I'm not leavin' you while Kirkwall's such a mess."  
  
"I think you're just too tired and don't want to try thinking about it," she teased, biting back a comment about liking him just fine the way he was.  
  
"Guilty as charged," he confessed easily. "We can discuss it, just... no' right now."  
  
"Silence it is, then," Astrid said breezily, linking her fingers between his. One of the things she appreciated and loved most about Sebastian was how he didn't mind silence. Too many people she knew couldn't stand it. But it was in the quiet, wordless moments of comfort and calm they'd shared that she'd grown closest to him.  
  
She felt the moment the exhaustion won and--as he'd cautioned--Sebastian drifted off. _He deserves it_ , she thought to herself, running her thumb over his no-longer scarred palm. Of course, she did as well, but responsibility was an unrelenting taskmaster. So she pressed a kiss to the center of his palm and reluctantly moved to sit behind her desk. She poured herself another glass of wine as she pulled a stack of letters and reports closer, and resolved to tell Sebastian sooner rather than later that as much as he wanted to give her _no less than a prince_ , she didn't _need_ anything more or less or other than just _Sebastian_.  
  
And she really didn't want to wait too much longer. 

**Author's Note:**

> Spawned from a headcanon that Sebastian is good with The Quiet Moments, where you’re too tired or drained to actually want to talk, and silence winds up being the order of the day.


End file.
